Update: Macy Kaplan, the missing autistic woman, has been located.
Per the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD): **DISCLAIMER: THE PHOTO ON THIS FLYER IS THE ONLY ONE AVAILABLE TO HELP IDENTIFY THIS MISSING PERSON AND HAS BEEN INCLUDED BECAUSE SHE IS A MISSING ADULT WITH AUTISM** (more…)
As we roll into Week 2 of the playoffs, Montgomery County’s top teams are ready for intense rematches and rivalries that promise plenty of fireworks. Here’s a breakdown of each matchup and how I see them playing out. The Game of the Week preview and prediction can be seen here.
Talent is one of the most important factors influencing where companies choose to invest, expand, and grow. As competition for skilled workers intensifies, employers are embracing a broader talent strategy: one that leverages partnerships. Last week, almost 120 business leaders, elected officials, and members of Montgomery County’s business community attended the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation’s (MCEDC) panel, “The Talent Advantage: A Growth Strategy for Companies in Montgomery County, Maryland,” to hear how local businesses are capitalizing on the County’s world-class academic institutions, innovation ecosystem, quality of life, and economic development resources to attract and retain top talent.
Moderated by Dr. Anne Khademian, Executive Director at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG), the panel included executives from businesses and institutions across industries, including Lockheed Martin, TrilliumBIO, Thales Defense & Security, Johns Hopkins, Montgomery College, and AstraZeneca, who discussed their companies’ strategies for developing their workforce.
Talent as a Business Strategy
For companies competing in highly specialized industries like the defense industry, access to talent directly influences where they choose to locate and grow. For Lockheed Martin, which employs nearly 1,000 people in Montgomery County, talent is one of the primary reasons the company chose to be headquartered here.
“Talent is in the top one or two reasons why we are in the County,” said Todd Cohen, Senior Lead of Strategic Workforce Development, Lockheed Martin.
According to Cohen, Lockheed Martin begins working with partners to develop their talent pipeline well before students enter the workforce, including partnering with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) on programs such as coding challenges. Lockheed Martin also maintains close relationships with local higher education institutions, including the Universities at Shady Grove (USG).
That local talent pipeline is also an important factor for AstraZeneca, which employs more than 5,000 employees and contractors in Montgomery County. According to Tiffany Lukis, Director of STEM and Community Engagement at AstraZeneca, the company often taps into its alumni base from Montgomery College (ranked #26 nationally among community colleges) and USG (which offers nine different public universities onto one campus), and other local institutions to fill highly technical roles.
Local Companies Are Developing Talent and Not Just Finding It
According to the panelists, investing in existing employees is just as important as recruiting new ones.
At Suburban Hospital, workforce development is closely tied to talent retention. The hospital partners with local educational institutions to provide employees with opportunities to gain new skills and advance their careers. Programs include a Certified Nursing Assistant program through Montgomery College and English as a Second Language classes.
“A huge part of our talent strategy is to prioritize holding on to our top tier talent,” said Corey Lewson, MSW, Program Manager, Workforce Development, John Hopkins Medicine.
For smaller companies, developing talent internally can be especially valuable. Lane Edwards, Vice President of Operations, TrilliumBIO, a biomarker discovery company with fewer than 20 employees based in Rockville, described the challenge of balancing the need for highly specialized expertise with the realities of building a team at an early-stage company.
“When it comes to hiring, we have to be very strategic,” Lane said. “Do we have someone who has the expertise or someone that we can build on?”
In the MoCoShow Game of the Week, two determined teams will clash Friday night in 2nd round playoff action as the Oakdale Bears visit the Sherwood Warriors in Sandy Spring (Preview and predictions for all other MCPS games can be seen here). The stakes are high, with Sherwood looking to redeem itself after last season’s playoff defeat in Ijamsville. This time around, Sherwood brings a stronger, more seasoned squad to the field, hoping to upset an Oakdale team that’s still potent but slightly less dominant than last year. The real question is: have the Warriors closed the gap enough to secure a victory on their home turf?
The Montgomery County Council has appointed Craig Howard as its new executive director, a role in which he will oversee fiscal and policy analysis and manage Council operations, following his 22 years of experience in the county’s legislative branch, including five years as deputy director. (more…)
We’ve Got the Ticket to Every Sunday Showdown! 🏈🔥
Catch every live out-of-market Sunday game with NFL Sunday Ticket this football season at Lucky Strike Rockville!
Bring your family and friends to our free , all-day outdoor Oktoberfest celebration. These will be an outdoor craft fair featuring local artisans and professional woodworkers, a chainsaw carving, woodworking and tool demonstrations by Festool, Montgomery Wood Turners and Carvers. There will also be lots of delicious food provided by El Parente Tacos, El Jeffe Wood-fired pizzas, Bruster's Ice cream and seasonal craft brews from Saints Row Brwsing Company.
Tory Burch is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall (7101 Democracy Blvd) in Bethesda. The luxury women’s brand, known for its shoes, handbags, accessories, jewelry, and watches, is located on the mall’s upper level next. (more…)
According to Maryland Lottery and Gaming, Maryland’s sports wagering market generated $7.05 million in contributions to the state in October 2024, marking a 21.3% increase from the previous year, with a record $593.1 million handle driven by strong performances from local teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders. (more…)
Chicago-based women’s clothing store Akira is now open in Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, with a grand opening planned in two weeks. (more…)
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has announced the arrest of 31-year-old Steven Randolph, accused of exposing himself at two businesses in Olney. Detectives have released his photo and are encouraging any additional victims to come forward.
A Germantown woman won $50,000 after purchasing a winning lottery scratch-off ticket at the Safeway at 19718 Germantown Road. Full story below, courtesy of MD Lottery:
Goodreads, the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations, has released its opening round nominees for the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards and former Watkins Mill teacher Sara Confino’s novel Behind Every Good Man has been nominated in the Historical Fiction category. Opening round voting runs until later this month.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to the 12200blk of Cherry Hill Rd. in Calverton for the report of a commercial building fire at approximately 4am on Tuesday, November 12. (more…)